The first reference to tenkara fly-fishing was made in 1878, when Mr. Ernest Satow, a British diplomat who lived in Japan at the time, wrote in his diary about local fishermen using flies to catch the yamame (a Japanese trout) in the streams near Mt. Tateyama.
Tenkara was originally the domain of commercial fishermen in mountain areas of Japan, who would catch fish and sell it to villagers and inn-keepers. That history is important in helping understand tenkara, and ultimately help keep fly-fishing simple. Understanding tenkara is the reason we visit Japan every year and maintain a strong connection with tenkara masters in the country.

Read more about the history of tenkara here.